


The Gracious Whim Of Fate

by bemusedlybespectacled (ardentintoxication)



Category: Maleficent (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assassination Attempt(s), Biting, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Feelings Jams, First Time, Frottage, Group Marriage, Hurt/Comfort, I Tried, I can't write porn, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Multi, Oral Sex, Political Alliances, Polyamory, Sedoretu, aurora and phillip are awkward virgins, maleficent and diaval have sixteen years worth of sexual tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-08 10:36:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1937682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentintoxication/pseuds/bemusedlybespectacled
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With King Stefan's death, Aurora, the only heir to the throne, must find three people to complete her sedoretu. Who better than those she already loves?</p><p>Note: the story is T throughout, except for one brief segue into E-rated territory in the last chapter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Evening

**Author's Note:**

> [About sedoretus](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Sedoretu), for those unfamiliar with Ursula Le Guin's planet O.

The guards had fled in terror, and Aurora came back down the stairs to the throne room to find Maleficent slumped against a column in a very undignified way, her wings spread out across the floor with the rubble and iron and ashes. Diaval, a human once more, sat beside her, soot as black as his hair smeared across his face.

“Is it over?” asked Aurora in a small voice.

“Yes,” said Maleficent, with some attempt at not sounding as tired as she was. Flying was so much harder than she’d remembered. “It’s over.”

“Then he…”

“Yes. He’s at the bottom of the ramparts now. I couldn’t save him.” An emotion Aurora didn’t recognize passed over Maleficent’s face, just briefly, before she replaced it with a wry smile. “I suppose that makes you queen now.”

“Queen?” Aurora blanched. “I don’t want to be queen. I want to live in the Moors with you.”

“I think it’s a bit more complicated than that,” said a voice from the doors at the back of the room. Aurora and Maleficent turned to look. It was Phillip, looking slightly worse for wear with his clothes rumpled and a scattering of blue butterfly scales across his nose.

“What do you mean, ‘more complicated’?” asked Maleficent archly, all traces of her vulnerable self erased from her voice.

“Well, it’s politics, isn’t it?” he said, nervously inching his way toward them. “I mean, the king’s dead, and so’s King Hubert and Queen Matilda and Queen Leila, so that’s the monarchy dead. Except you, I mean,” he added, nodding at Aurora.

“A power vacuum,” said Maleficent. “I do so _hate_ politics.”

Aurora was looking more and more frightened. “But I don’t know how to be queen!”

“And of course those three pieces of dandelion fluff didn’t teach you anything useful,” Maleficent muttered. “I suppose I’ll have to do that, as well.”

“Do what?”

“Show you how to be a queen.” She rolled her eyes. “And probably save you from some very tedious assassination attempts, since humans are so enamored with them.”

“But the Moors,” said Aurora. “How can you rule it if you’re living here with me?”

“The Moors will function perfectly fine without me,” said Maleficent. “They did well enough before I was queen, they can do it again.”

“And leave the Moors with no protector?” said Diaval. “Knowing the humans, they’ll try and take the Moors anyway, and then what will happen?”

“So I grant Aurora queenship over the Moors,” said Maleficent, “and there’ll be no need to take the Moors because they’ll already be hers.”

“And absolutely no one will dispute it, of course.”

“Um, pardon me,” said Phillip, “but I may have the solution to that.”

“And _what_ might _that_ be?” said Maleficent, heaving herself to her feet. Diaval followed.

“Marriage,” Phillip said. “Unite your kingdom and hers with marriage.”

“Absolutely not,” said Maleficent.

“But, Godmother, it would be so wonderful!” said Aurora. “We could spend as much time together as we liked and go to all the parts of the kingdom together and-”

“Ignoring for the moment that you’re sixteen years old and I am not,” said Maleficent, “human marriages need two men for the two women. Oh, of _course_ you’ve got the solution to that,” she said, rolling her eyes at Phillip.

“Well, yes,” he said. “I came here because I was summoned by King Stefan as a potential match. The others will probably be here in a few days.”

That gave Maleficent pause. “Others?”

“Oh, yes. I can’t have been the only one who King Stefan asked to meet his daughter. My father’s kingdom isn’t even that big, I’m sure there are others he asked who have larger.”

“And he would have just married her off straight away,” said Maleficent, her voice hardening, “even though she would have only just found out she was a princess in the first place.”

“So it seems.”

“Humans make absolutely no sense.”

“So if you two do decide to marry,” said Phillip, “I can at least offer my services, and my kingdom. I’m an Evening,” he added helpfully.

“I’m Morning,” said Aurora. “My aunts told me.”

“Faeries have no moiety,” said Maleficent, “and no marriage, either, at least not the way humans would understand it, and this is all quite out of the question because _we are not getting married_.”

“Why not?” said Diaval. “Can you see any other way around it? Other than,” he said, holding up a finger, “cursing everyone who wants to marry her?”

“And who would be the other man? Some princeling who wants her kingdom and the wealth of the Moors?”

“If- if he wasn’t against it,” said Aurora quietly, “I wouldn’t mind marrying Diaval.”

“He’s a raven, for all he looks like a man,” said Maleficent.

“No one else would know! And then we wouldn’t have to marry anyone else, or worry about someone else’s kingdom or anything,” said Aurora. “It would be perfect.”

“Except for the fact that you’d be marrying a raven. Who also wouldn’t have moiety, or even a royal claim.”

“We’ll make one up. It’s not like anyone else knows about the Moors. For all anyone knows he could be a duke or an earl or a baron.”

“You _really_ want to get married, don’t you?” said Maleficent with a hint of a smile.

“I do if it’s to you and Diaval and Phillip!"

Maleficent sighed. "We are talking about this tomorrow when I'm not addled by all this iron lying about. You," she said, pointing at Phillip, "stay with Aurora and don't let her out of your sight. The last thing we need is for anyone to decide to take advantage of Ste- the king's death. I'll return in the morning." She twisted her fingers at Diaval. "Into a raven."

* * *

Not having the strength to walk very far, and not up to using her new wings very much just yet, Maleficent found a suitable tree nearby and settled herself. Trees were soothing and replenishing, even if they weren't Moorland trees. Diaval landed on a branch beside her and squawked.

“Oh, alright,” she said, and the branch sagged under its new weight as Diaval changed again.

“I thought that went well,” said Diaval, “all things considered.”

“Do you mean the battle or the marriage proposal?”

Diaval shrugged. “What do you think?”

“I think,” said Maleficent, “that I am far too old and bitter and faerie to marry anybody.”

To her surprise, Diaval laughed. “You are not old, and you’re not half as bitter as you used to be, and if Aurora wants to marry a raven then I don’t think a faerie is any worse.”

“It’s not that simple!”

“Yes, it is!”

“Humans,” said Maleficent, “have ancient bloodlines and marriage contracts and a deep and abiding hatred of the Moors. Their idea of marriage has no room for love. What makes you think they would accept our Evening marriage? Our Day marriage? Our Evening children?”

“It doesn’t matter what they think,” said Diaval. “What matters is whether it keeps Aurora safe and happy. Or would you rather she _not_ marry the people she loves?”

Maleficent huffed. "I suppose I can love and protect Aurora just as well as her wife, if not her guardian. But she has _got _to stop calling me 'Godmother.'"__

"And must I stop calling you ‘Mistress’?”

Maleficent raised her eyebrows. “Only when we’re in public,” she said at last.

“As it should be.”

“Indeed.” She scooted a bit farther out on her branch - undignified, but it gave her more room - and stretched her wings out. They were still sore, but it felt good to feel them _extend_ again, like they were supposed to feel. She heard Diaval snicker behind her. “What?”

“Oh, nothing,” he said. “Your wings- they’re a bit mussed, is all.”

“Yours wouldn’t be so neat, either, if you hadn’t preened them in almost twenty years,” she snapped.

“If I may...” he said. She felt the branch shift beneath her as he came to sit behind her.

“You’ll break the branch.”

“I suppose you’ll have to keep it strong, then,” he said. “That is, if it’s alright for me to-”

“It is,” she said. _This is Diaval_ , she reminded herself. _Not a human. Not Stefan._

She felt his hand, as gentle as down, brush the tips of her primaries, then up to her greater coverts. When he straightened an errant scapular, she flinched.

“You know, as excellent as I am at this,” he said, with only a trace of his usual humor, “if it’s uncomfortable, I can stop.”

“It’s _fine_ ,” she said, a little too adamantly.

Even softer, his hands returned to their task. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the rustling of feathers.

Eventually, Maleficent said, “And what about you?”

“Hmm?” His hands slowed.

“If this marriage makes you uncomfortable, or,” she swallowed, “if you want your freedom, there’s nothing to bind you. I think you’ve more than repaid your life debt by saving mine.”

Diaval chuckled low in his throat, but his fingers didn’t stop moving. “If you know me at all, Mistress, you know that I’m more than willing to complain if something doesn’t suit me.”

“I don’t want you to do this just out of loyalty to me or Aurora.”

“It’s not about loyalty.”

Maleficent snapped her wings inwards and turned about on the branch. “What is it about, then?”

“I-” He wouldn’t look at her. “Is it not obvious?”

“You can’t expect me to believe that you-”

“What? Love you?”

Maleficent flinched as if struck. “You what?”

“Love you.” He drew a shuddering breath. “I have for a while. I wasn't going to tell you, but then-"

“That’s why you believed,” said Maleficent quietly, as if she had just realized the answer to a long and difficult riddle. “That’s why you were so sure the curse would break, even when I wasn’t.”

“Yes.”

“And you never told me.”

“Would you have believed me?”

Maleficent shook her head. “No,” she said. “I would have called you a liar.”

“And now?”

 _This is Diaval,_ she thought again. Instead of answering, she tangled her fingers in his ink-black hair and pulled his lips towards hers.

* * *

The next morning, Aurora was swarmed with servants, all asking her where she’d been and how her curse had ended and if she’d heard the terrible news about her father. She answered to the best of her ability (the great woods, her true love had kissed her, and yes, she had, and yes, she’d seen the dragon), and asked after Prince Phillip, who had seen her to her rooms the night before.

“He’s waiting for you outside now, your majesty,” said one of the maids.

“I told him that you were not to be bothered until you’d recovered from your terrible shock,” said another.

“Thank you so much for thinking of me,” said Aurora, “but I can see him now. I’m quite alright.”

“But your majesty, surely-”

“I believe,” said Aurora, “that he was involved in breaking my curse. I’d like to speak to him about it, if you please.”

Of course she couldn’t speak to him immediately. She had to be dressed and have her hair brushed (never mind that she’d done both of those things herself since she was little), and since her dress was deemed ill-fitting for a queen by all present, two maids were sent to her Morning mother’s apartments to bring back some of her clothes.

“We kept them,” explained Mistress Taylor, the head seamstress. “None of us could bear to throw away her majesty’s things, ‘specially not when we’d no thread and no cloth, ‘cause of the curse, you know, and it wasn’t as if his majesty went up there to see if we’d done it. Not to speak ill of him, your majesty, you understand.”

“It’s alright,” said Aurora. “I’m not offended.”

“You look just like her,” said Mistress Taylor. “Our Morning queen. The very image. Though perhaps we might raise the hem a bit, and loosen the waist just here…”

Aurora wasn’t listening. Looking at her image in the great glass, wearing a silver dress covered in gold embroidery and tiny pearls, she didn’t recognize herself at all.

“Would you see the prince now, your majesty?” said another maid, snapping Aurora out of her reverie.

“Yes, please,” said Aurora, “and if you could leave us alone, that would be very nice.” Mistress Taylor looked scandalized at the idea, but obediently allowed Phillip in before shooing the maids out and leaving them alone.

Phillip strode into the room, still looking rumpled. He’d apparently slept in his clothes. When he saw her, he was momentarily taken aback.

“Do I look very different?” said Aurora.

“You look…” He struggled to find the right words, “...beautiful. Absolutely- not that you weren’t already beautiful, of course,” he stammered, “you’re lovely no matter what you wear, but-”

“The dress helps?”

“Yes! No. The dress is lovely and so are you. The dress adds to your splendor but you are not diminished without it. _There,_ ” he said triumphantly, over Aurora’s giggles, before succumbing to them himself. “And what plans have you today?” he asked when he could speak with a straight face.

“I’d like to meet with the guards,” she said. “They should know to call off the attacks on the Moors and to take down the iron around the castle. And stonemasons, to start rebuilding the throne room.”

“I know you said you didn’t want to be queen,” said Phillip, “but that sounds like a very good start. Do you know of the noble’s council?”

“Sort of,” said Aurora. “My aunts’ cottage was in the earldom of Southcross, and Lord Southcross is part of the council, right?”

“Yes,” said Phillip. “Traditionally they rule their lands under instruction from the monarchs, but from what my father told me, they’ve been essentially running the country themselves. Other than the war with the Moors and the fortification of the castle, there’s been no one to stop them from doing what they like in their own lands.”

“So I should meet with them as well,” said Aurora.

“You should,” Phillip said, “but be careful. Men don’t like to give up power once they’ve had it.”

“I’ll have you to protect me, won’t I?” said Aurora. She smiled, but her eyes were worried.

“Of course you will,” said Phillip. “If I don’t, your godmother will murder me.”

“Yes, she will,” said Aurora sweetly, taking Phillip’s arm. She started to lead him towards the door, but stopped. “Phillip,” she said, looking up at him, “I know I said I wanted to marry you, but do you really want to marry me?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” he asked.

“Well, we’re practically strangers. Wouldn’t you want to marry someone you love?”

Phillip paused, thinking. “Traditionally,” he said, “I might have been lucky to meet you at your coming-of-age ball. I’m glad I met you before I even knew you were a princess. And while I may not truly _love_ you yet,” he said, looking her in the eye, “I don’t doubt that I could, given time. And besides,” he added, laughing a bit, “we’re not strangers. We’ve met before.”

“Twice,” Aurora said.

“Actually, three times,” said Phillip. “I went to your christening when I was two. I don’t remember it, of course, but it still counts.”

They both laughed.

“Shall I escort you to the noble’s council chamber, your majesty?” he asked, gesturing to the door.

“Of course, your highness,” said Aurora.

* * *

Maleficent and Diaval met them in the garden a couple of hours later, both dressed in conjured clothes grander than Aurora had ever seen. Diaval looked distinctly uncomfortable.

“Does it have to button all the way up my neck like this?” he wondered aloud, tugging at the stiff collar of his doublet.

“Yes,” said Maleficent and Aurora at once.

Aurora laughed. “It’s respectable,” she said. “All the fashionable men are wearing them, or so I hear.”

“Fashionable _men_ , maybe,” muttered Diaval. “Fashionable _ravens_ , on the other hand-”

“None of that,” said Maleficent. “You’re supposed to be a duke of the Moorlands now. Act like it."

"Yes, mistress."

“So you've agreed, then?" said Aurora, bouncing on her toes. "You want to get married?”

“Yes, beastie,” said Maleficent. “I promised you that no harm would come to you for as long as I lived, and I will honor that.” She moved to kiss Aurora on the forehead, but Aurora leaned upwards, catching her lips instead. Maleficent’s eyes fluttered shut in spite of herself, and she let the kiss linger a bit longer before breaking away.

“That’s enough of that,” she said, a bit winded. “We need to discuss strategy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dress Aurora is wearing is [Queen Leila's dress](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k4HNhupoYbk/U23_Z2maI_I/AAAAAAAAHRM/EWwXYSgmi98/s1600/Maleficent_PrincessLeila.jpg) from the christening scene.


	2. Day

The next afternoon, Aurora emerged from the council chamber with significantly less cheer than usual. "Well," she said, “that could have gone better.”

“They said no?” asked Phillip. He’d been waiting outside, hoping to listen in, but the heavy oak doors and stone walls did an excellent job of muffling all but the loudest voices.

“They didn’t say _no,_ exactly,” said Aurora. “Just, some of them don’t think it’s a very good idea.”

“But not all of them?”

Aurora frowned, thinking. “No, not all of them. Lord Wimsey and Lord Southcross both seemed to like the idea, but that might be because their lands border the Moors. Count Vaunting, Baron McAvoy, and Duke Yoxall all think it’s an awful idea. Duke Yoxhall said some very rude things about the Fair People, and I couldn’t say anything rude back in case that made him decide to not change his mind. And Lord Mortimer didn’t say anything the whole time. I think he might have been asleep."

"Ah," said Phillip. "Well, at least it's not hopeless."

"But they're not agreeing to anything!"

"Nor are they disagreeing," said Phillip. "We lean on the two on our side, they'll convince others."

“It’s our turn now, Phillip,” said Maleficent, and the two of them walked into the council chamber and shut the door behind them.

“Will they be alright?” Aurora asked Diaval, who was sitting in a waiting chair.

“Of course they will,” said Diaval.

At that moment, outraged shouts leaked out from the chamber door.

“That’s probably Duke Yoxhall being outraged at Maleficent’s presence,” said Aurora.

“Yes, but Phillip’s there,” said Diaval. “He can smooth any ruffled feathers.” On cue, the shouting in the next room softened. “See?”

“No one wants to offend him,” said Aurora. “His father’s too important. I don’t know why they wouldn’t treat Maleficent the same way. She’s the one who could curse them all if she wanted.”

“Humans,” said Diaval, “can ignore everything in their best interest when hate’s involved.”

“Humans are ridiculous,” said Aurora.

“There’s still time to leave and disappear behind the Wall,” said Diaval, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Oh, no,” said Aurora. “If we did, how could we get married?”

Diaval shrugged. “In the Moors, there’s handfasting,” he explained. “To anyone you like, for a year and a day, and then if you like it you can make it forever. Some people only take one mate.”

“Only one?” said Aurora. “But what about moiety?”

“Faeries don’t care about that,” said Diaval. “Nor do ravens, really. When we mate, it’s for life, and moiety doesn’t come into it.”

“Not at all?”

“Yes. Humans make everything more complicated than it needs to be.” Seeing Aurora’s face, he hastily added, “Don’t worry. Me ‘n my mistress knew that when we walked into this den of wolves. We’re doing this because we want to.”

Inside, Phillip was starting to appreciate Maleficent’s strength. While it was his job to point out the gains their marriage could bring - the wealth of the Moors, the strong armies of Ulstead - it was her job to explain exactly what would happen if the council did not accept their proposal, and she was doing a wonderful job of terrifying them politely.

“I urge you to consider your options,” said Maleficent. “I refuse to bring down the Wall without some guarantee of good will on the part of Dauenshire.”

“And your idea of good will, _madam_ , is to marry our princess!” said Duke Yoxhall, red-faced with anger.

“Queen,” Maleficent corrected him. “And yes, it is. Written contracts are so easily reneged upon. Marriages are far more binding.”

“My father, King John, was very reluctant to let me come in the first place,” said Phillip. “He’d heard that the situation here was unstable. I see now that the claims of our messengers were exaggerated, but I don’t think he’d allow me to stay without the possibility of marriage before me.”

Lord Wimsey looked thoughtful. “We will consider your request, of course, your royal highness, your majesty,” he said. “But surely you will allow us some time-”

“Of course,” said Phillip. “You’re busy men.”

“The day,” said Maleficent. “You may have the rest of the day to consider.”

“The _day!_ ” sputtered Baron McAvoy. “You _dare_ -”

“We shall deliberate in all haste,” said Lord Wimsey. “You have my word.”

Maleficent nodded, then rose from the great wooden table. Phillip rose just as quickly, but the other nobles took their time to rise before bowing. Maleficent inclined her head in response, then turned on her heel and left in a flurry of black silk.

“Exaggerated?” she asked Phillip once the doors had shut behind them.

Phillip grinned. “Our messengers brought word that the Moors were commanded by a vicious, green-skinned hag gone mad with power, who lived in a great stone castle and had hundreds of minions in her command, who had ears in every wall and eyes in every forest and commanded all the powers of hell.”

“I feel as though I should be flattered,” said Maleficent, her wings puffing up a bit.

* * *

At sunset, a page was sent to Aurora’s receiving room, where the four of them sat in front of the fire.

“The council has chosen to delay their approval of this marriage,” he said, “in accordance with King Stefan’s wish, which was for his daughter, in keeping with tradition, host a coming-of-age ball. Of course, with the throne room so damaged, this ball must wait until it’s repaired-”

“That’s of no consequence,” said Maleficent, waving her hand dismissively. “My magic can easily repair the throne room. And what of the ball?”

“Well, then you must choose among your suitors, your majesty,” said the page boy to Aurora, “and then you may marry them.”

“Thank you-?”

“Lukas Haverhill, your majesty.”

“Thank you, Lukas,” said Aurora. “Have my guests’ rooms been prepared?”

“Yes, your majesty,” he said. “In the west wing.”

“Thank you!” said Aurora. “You can go now.”

Haverhill gave a final bow, then left the four of them alone.

“They’re hoping you’ll pick someone else more suitable,” said Phillip. “They think you’ll fall in love with someone at the ball.”

“It’ll be fine,” said Diaval. “If you decide to marry us after the ball, well, they can’t argue, can they?”

“Well, they could,” said Phillip, “but it would be a lot harder.”

“Fine,” said Maleficent, “we’ll go to this ball. And tomorrow I’ll repair the castle so it looks as if it never even needed sweeping. But first, we need sleep." She and the men rose, but Aurora caught her hand.

"Godmother, may I talk to you for a moment? Privately?"

Maleficent raised an eyebrow. "Of course," she said. She nodded to Diaval, who inclined his head in return before walking to the door and closing it behind him. "What is it, beastie?"

Aurora wrung her hands. "I don't know _how_ to organize a ball, or make conversation, or act like a queen-"

Maleficent gently pulled Aurora's hands apart, stilling them. "Your servants can organize it, if there's no one to do it already. I'm sure some scullery maid has been dreaming of this moment her whole life. And you did very well with Haverhill but a moment ago. You're acting like a queen, Aurora, and I haven't had to teach you anything of it. You're doing it already on your own."

"I feel like such a _fraud_ ," Aurora mumbled vaguely towards her shoes. "I keep expecting for someone to expose me as a peasant girl from Southcross, and not a queen at all."

"You're doing well," Maleficent repeated. "And you’re doing it in a way that I could never manage.”

”How?” said Aurora, looking dangerously close to tears.

”You’re kind,” said Maleficent. “You’re not sweeping onto the throne on your sixteenth birthday and demanding loyalty. There’s no magic to compel them to love you, Aurora, that was broken with your curse. And yet they still obey you, and it’s certainly not because you’re exercising your power.”

“Love’s not enough to be a queen,” said Aurora rebelliously.

”No,” said Maleficent, thinking of her own kingdom, “but it’s necessary to be a great one.”

Aurora, unable to contain the sudden tears in her eyes, threw her arms around Maleficent’s waist. Maleficent awkwardly stroked her hair. “There, there,” she said. “We’ll be with you the whole time. There’s no need to cry.”

But Aurora was crying for more than the ball. She hadn’t had a chance to take in everything - the truth about her father, his death before he’d had a chance to say more than a dozen words to her, the weight of her talks with the noble’s council - and she sobbed into Maleficent’s chest until she was drained of tears.

Afterwards, she looked up. “I think I can do this,” she said, “but not without all of you.”

”We’re of no use to you at all if we don’t sleep,” said Maleficent, detangling herself from Aurora’s embrace. “Go to bed, beastie. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day.”

After making sure Aurora had gone to bed, Maleficent stepped out into the corridor. Diaval was waiting there for her outside the door, as she knew he would. He was grinning.

"Not a word," she said, walking towards their appointed rooms.

"I didn't say anything," said Diaval. "Though since you mentioned it, you're being very sweet today."

"I used all my ferocity on the nobles this afternoon."

"And here I thought your supply was infinite."

Instead of raising a hand to change him into a raven to shut him up, as she would have done, she only smiled. "And be predictable, pet?"

"Never that, mistress."


	3. Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was hoping to finish this in time for my birthday, but alas, it was not to be. I ended up splitting my planned chapter into two chapters, so there'll be even more plot in the next chapter. Hurray! Also, I edited the chapter titles ever so slightly, just for the record.

The two weeks leading to the ball were chaos. The servants, of course, had known since before King Stefan's death that his plans for Aurora included her coming-of-age celebration, and had prepared accordingly, but between entertaining the endlessly-arriving dignitaries and suitors and approving major decisions for the ball itself, Aurora was kept on her feet all day only to collapse into bed at night.

While officially Maleficent, Diaval, and Phillip were guests, all three of them found ways to help her. Maleficent amused herself by magically assisting the decorating staff and then pretending that it wasn't funny at all how they acted around her afterwards. Diaval lingered outside open doors and in shadowy stairwells, listening for any hint of danger. Phillip politely interrupted Aurora at work to remind her to eat, and kept her laughing until he'd escorted her to her rooms. And all of them socialized with the constant stream of suitors, who had little to do after being greeted by Aurora and settling in.

The Duke and Duchess of Redmoor, Evening siblings with the same willowy build, dark hair, and freckles, arrived first, and met the three of them in the gardens after their audience with Aurora. "Adrianna," said the elder. "I've been to three of these balls only this year and I am  _sick_  of being called 'your grace.' And this is my brother, Michael," she said, gesturing to her brother. To her credit, she did not stare at Maleficent's wings and horns or Diaval's scars, but bowed to them politely, her brother taking his cue from her and bowing as well.

"Prince Phillip of Ulstead, and Queen Maleficent and Duke Diaval of the Moors," said Phillip. Diaval and Maleficent returned the bows.

"Three balls?" said Diaval.

Michael nodded. "Marriage is so competitive now, with all the contracts and treaties involved. And Adrianna waited until I was of age before looking for spouses."

"We've gotten to know a few of the others," said Adrianna. "Those of us who are continually invited to bring suit and go home unwed."

"There's enough of us to start a guild."

"Are there so many of you?" asked Phillip, laughing.

Adrianna nodded. "Oh, yes. Selene and Sophia have been on the marriage market for  _at least_ as long as we have - they wrote us that they were coming to Dauenshire, didn't they?" she asked of her brother.

He nodded. "So are Tristan and Dunstan, I think."

"The brothers? From Dragomir?" said Phillip. "My father speaks of them often."

"Ours, too," said Adrianna. "But they don't want to marry without each other, and Dunstan's already an Evening for Tristan's Morning, so no prospects there."

"And Dunstan's an- ow!" Michael glared at his sister, who had dug her heel into his foot.

The sound of a herald's trumpet came from over the high stone walls surrounding the gardens. "I wonder if that's Gladys," Adrianna wondered aloud. "She said she was coming soon after us. Please excuse us," she said, and she walked back indoors, her brother limping behind her.

* * *

They were only the first wave in a sea of noble guests, almost all (according to Adrianna) perpetually unmarried. The Dragomiri princes had been searching for spouses for five years, the Baroness of Oachkatzl ("Josepha," as she introduced herself, in her thick foreign accent) for seven. Some, like the three travelers from Albion, came with almost a whole marriage, while others, like the striking prince from Rennersrun, were there alone. All told, there were more than twenty suitors in attendance the night of the ball, all in need of a Morning woman. Each one in turn was formally introduced to Aurora as part of the opening ceremony, approaching her throne and bowing before her, anticipation in their eyes.

"You could almost feel sorry for them," murmured Maleficent in Diaval's ear, "knowing that they'll all go home disappointed."

"Not all of them," he whispered back, "look there." He inclined his head towards one of the columns. The Redmoor siblings, having already been introduced, were deep in conversation with a dark-skinned man in a green and gold doublet. Adrianna laughed at something he said while Michael absentmindedly smoothed his hair. "They seem to be getting on with Duke Aiden well."

"They'd still need a Morning woman," Maleficent pointed out.

"And they can have any one they want," said Diaval, "just not Aurora."

At the feast, Aurora was kept on a dais away from the other guests, with ministers of state on either side of the high table and looking very bored with no one to talk to. The lower table, with the suitors, was far more lively, though the excitement was lost on Maleficent, who was thoroughly annoyed with both her position at the table and her conversational partners. While technically ranking higher than anyone other than Aurora by dint of being queen, she had been seated in the middle of the long table (ranked lower, she suspected, because she was a faerie), and Diaval, also faerie-born, was almost near the end. This left her sitting between Gladys, the duchess of Branwhyte, who was very interested in her food and the pattern of the tablecloth and not much else, and Madga, the countess of Osterland, who refused to shut up. _  
_

"-and I told Xander that we might just have to wait until his sister and my cousin come of age, but we've been waiting for _so_ long and we already know who we want for our Evening marriage anyway and so, well, why not?"

"Hmm," said Maleficent.

"We might as well just marry each other and forget the other marriages!" Magda clapped her hands over her mouth. "Not that we would, that'd be sacrilege, ha ha, but it would be funny, wouldn't it? And a lot easier, too, with just the one marriage?"

"Indeed," said Maleficent.

"I've read that they do that in other countries," said Magda, cheerfully oblivious, "but not here, of course."

"Interesting," said Maleficent. She cast her gaze about the room. It seemed Diaval was in no better a situation, being thoroughly ignored by the Morning men to his left and right.

"And you?" Magda twisted the slip of silver thread around the finger of her right hand, a match for her betrothed's cloth-of-gold thread on his left, shadows of the metal rings they would wear when married. "I've not had the pleasure of seeing you at other courting balls. Do you have your eye set on anyone here? Besides the lovely queen, of course."

Maleficent took a sip of her soup and tried not to roll her eyes. This was going to be a very long night.

* * *

The dancing was more interesting, at least. There weren't any Morning women to compete with Aurora, so there were none to take their places in any traditional four-person circle dances, but the line dancing was easy enough, and there enough of them to break into partners for the Evening and Night dances. Day dances, with their fast-paced songs and reliance on quick footwork, were not Maleficent's strong point, and she chose to stand back, drink in hand, and watch Aurora dance with Madga (who, it seemed, had the feet to match her tongue). Diaval and Phillip came to join her.

"Well, at least she's having fun," said Phillip, nodding to Aurora. She was giggling with exhilaration, her golden hair flowing out behind her as she twirled in Magda's arms, the other Evening women standing around them and clapping in time. Another turn and her next partner, Sophia of Artenhold, caught her, leading her around the circle again. "Though I don't think she's found anyone she likes as well as us."

"Good," said Maleficent. "The sooner we end this ridiculousness, the better."

"Now, Mal," said Phillip. "Don't be grumpy."

" _Maleficent_ ," she corrected. "And I'm not grumpy-" Diaval snorted. "-I just want this to be over."

"I won't mind being in bed after this is over," said Diaval. "My feet are killing me."

"I can't fault you that," said Phillip. "I think I might do one more dance after this and then retire for the night."

"Excuse me," said a server, carrying a tray. "Any sweetmeats? Refreshments?"

"Oh, thank you," said Phillip, but the server stumbled and dropped the tray.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, your highness," said the server, getting on his knees to pick up the mess.

"No," said Phillip, bending down, "it was my fault, people always seem to trip in my presence, let me help-"

Diaval saw the danger just before Phillip - a dagger concealed by the servant's loose-fitted tunic. Without thinking, he lunged, grabbing Phillip and yanking him backwards, turning him away from the blow as he did. The move exposed his own side to the assassin's dagger, and he grunted as it found its way between his ribs. The man pulled the knife out as Diaval fell to the floor, cracking his head on the flagstones, and turned again to Phillip, bloodied blade in hand.

"No!" said Maleficent. Like a net, her magic caught the man and dragged him into the air. The music stopped. The guards, who had all been relaxed at their posts, drew their weapons.

Aurora broke off from her dance and ran to them. "Diaval!" She looked as if she were about to burst into tears, but she stopped, gathering herself. Instead, her voice rang out in the suddenly silent ballroom. "Guards, arrest that man. Take Dia- the duke to his quarters. Can you heal him?" she asked, turning to Maleficent, and in that instant her queenly demeanor vanished.

"I don't know," said Maleficent, "let me see." She looked to the guards, then to the man still struggling in her magic's hold. "Here, take him." The assassin fell ten feet to the floor.

She turned her attention to Diaval. Though he'd only taken one blow and hadn't had time to bleed very much, he was deathly pale and unconscious already. There was no reason for him to be so, unless... She cradled his head in her hands, gold magic flowing from his temples to the rest of his body and settling on the open wound. "Poison," she announced. "A fast-acting and magical one. I'll be better able to heal him in our rooms."

Aurora nodded, and four guards sheathed their swords to gather Diaval up in a cloak-sling. Aurora turned to the other guests, who were whispering amongst themselves. Magda had practically melted into Xander out of fear, and Sophia and Selene were clutching each other, muttering.

"Honored guests," said Aurora. "I'm sorry that our dance is cut short. If you could please return to your rooms and stay there until tomorrow, it would comfort me to know that you all are safe from whatever dangerous person sent this."

 _Clever girl_ , Maleficent thought. _Don't accuse anyone recklessly._

Diaval was lifted into the air and carried out of the ballroom, Maleficent, Phillip, and Aurora trailing behind him.

* * *

Once safe in their rooms with guards posted at the door, Maleficent poured healing magic into Diaval, the golden mist running along his veins to burn the poison out. Occasionally he would let out a faint moan, or turn his head away, but for the most part he was simply pale, still, and silent. Sweat beaded on his forehead and ran into his hair. Aurora had kept vigil for as long as she could, but Phillip had sent her away sent her away hours ago, with a hug, a kiss, and a reminder to sleep so she could be prepared for the next day.

Finally, Maleficent slumped against the bed, exhausted. "The poison's gone. It's a miracle the knife didn't pierce his lungs. As it was I had to fix his liver and his spleen as well as clean out his blood. He'll have another scar. Idiot." She said the last word the same way another woman might have said "sweetheart," running her fingers through his sweat-soaked hair. Slowly, like it pained her, she hoisted herself upright and walked to the door. "I am going to bed. You should as well."

"I'll wait a while longer, if it's alright," said Phillip, "I'm not tired." Not strictly true, but he had the benefit of a comfortable chair and hadn't been straining with magic for the past three hours.

Maleficent raised an eyebrow. "Fine. Only wake me if it's important."

Phillip nodded at her as she closed the door.

He did fall asleep, eventually, his head lolling back on the chair, and woke when motion on the bed disturbed him. Diaval was awake, blinking even in the faint candlelight.

"You're awake," said Phillip, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Am I? I wasn't certain," said Diaval. "Though I guess I'd hurt less if I was asleep. Or dead."

"Should I get Maleficent?"

"Nah. I just feel... emptied out."

"Poison. We don't know why yet." He fidgeted in his chair. "You saved my life, you know."

"Well, after my mistress and Aurora, I had to get around to you sometime."

Phillip smiled. "True. The way Aurora tells it, you were the best playmate she ever had."

"And nursemaid, as those three pixies didn't know the first thing about children. I take most of the credit for her living to her sixteenth birthday in the first place." He started to laugh, but stopped abruptly, wincing in pain. 

"Well," said Phillip, getting up to leave, "I just wanted to say thank you. I should let you sleep."

"Is that _all_ you wanted to say?" Diaval's tone wasn't accusatory, merely curious. 

Phillip sighed, sinking back into the chair. "No. I guess I wondered... why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why did you save my life?"

Diaval blinked. "I need a reason?"

"No! No. Just... no, it's stupid when I think about it. I suppose I thought you might have saved me because you and Maleficent and Aurora need me. For... for the marriage and all that."

Diaval looked hurt. "You thought I'd save your life because it would be _convenient?_ "

"Not deliberately, perhaps. Just- anyone with eyes can see you love Maleficent already. And you know Aurora better than anyone. But-" he gestured vaguely at the space between them with his hands, "-there's still us."

"There is that."

"And we-"

"-don't know each other well at all."

"Right. Or any of you, really. I haven't spent years and years with all of you, I haven't had  _time..._ sorry. We don't need to have this conversation now."

"I don't mind. Not much else for me to do, is there?" Phillip rushed to apologize again, but Diaval held a hand up. "Hush. You're right, we haven't spent as much time together. And I don't care for you the same way I do Maleficent or Aurora. But trying to protect you just because we need you as an Evening man... no. That's as much as to say that I'd let you die if we didn't need you, and that's not true."

"So why, then?"

"Do I need a reason?" Diaval asked again. "I think you're enough of one on your own."

"I suppose," said Phillip, but he seemed uncertain.

"Look," said Diaval, "I'm not loyal to just anyone, and I don't make choices lightly. I wouldn't mate, especially not as a human, unless I was absolutely certain. So unless you have some objection-"

"I don't."

"Then we're alright." Diaval reached a hand out and Phillip caught it, wrist to wrist. Impulsively, he ran his thumb along the skin of Diaval's arm, just for a moment, before pulling away and getting up to leave.

"You really should rest, you know."

"What else am I going to do in bed like this?" Phillip wiggled his eyebrows. Diaval chuckled. "No, not that. And anyway, don't humans care about being _untouched_ and _unsullied_ before they get married?"

"I'm marrying a raven and a faerie. What other traditions can I break?"

"Ones that don't require me moving." Diaval pointed at his side.

"Right. Forgot." Phillip closed the door quietly behind him, walked past Maleficent sleeping serenely on an uncomfortable-looking bench, and past the guards, who stood outside the entrance to their rooms.

"Keep a sharp lookout," he told them. "We don't know who else could be after her majesty, or her majesty's guests."

"Yes, your highness," they chorused quietly, and with that Phillip retreated to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marriages between siblings are not uncommon in sedoretus. Since two people of the moiety aren't supposed to have sex anyway, and since two children of the same mother are of the same moiety, it is possible for two siblings to be in two slots of a marriage as there is no danger of incest. See [this meta](http://melannen.dreamwidth.org/294088.html?format=light) (scroll to the entry on sedoretus) for an example.


	4. Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: in this chapter, there be porn (note the rating change). Roughly two thousand words of porn. If porn is not a thing that you are comfortable reading, then you may read until _"Clever bird," she whispered back, too low for anyone else to hear._ and then skip to _Aurora stared into space, her face lifted to the bed's canopy._

Maleficent met Aurora the next morning, both simply dressed with none of the past night's finery. Aurora's idea of "simple" was markedly different than Mistress Taylor's, but she had agreed to the red brocade in the hope that it would make her feel stronger and more queenly.

Maleficent's stern face made her question how well it would work. "Is he-?" She didn't dare ask.

"He's well," said Maleficent, "but he won't be getting out of bed today. At least not if I have anything to say about it."

"And Phillip?"

"Sleeping still. He stayed at Diaval's bedside long after I went to bed."

Aurora nodded. "Good." She bit her lip. "Last night, I had an idea. About this whole assassination... thing."

"Yes?" said Maleficent. There was a look in Aurora's eyes she didn't quite recognize.

"I've called a meeting of my noble's council," she said. "I have a plan. And I think I can do it on my own. No, I  _know_ I can do it on my own."

"Alright," said Maleficent, mystified. "Then what do you need me for?"

"I'd like for you to talk to the assassin for me. Maybe question him? I think you ought to, since it's Diaval he hurt. And you have magic."

"And I have magic," repeated Maleficent, faintly mocking. "Would you like me to turn him into a toad for you?"

"Oh, no!" said Aurora. "I mean, not unless you have to. You won't have to, will you?"

"I can't promise I won't be tempted. But if those are your terms, I'll obey them."

"May I walk with you to the dungeons, then?" said Aurora. "I won't be able to stay, but-"

"Of course."

Aurora's silence lasted the long walk through the corridors, but at the top of the stairs to the dungeons, she stopped. "I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"I don't want anyone to be hurt," she said hurriedly, "but at the same time... I'm _angry_. And a part of me wants to hurt him, wants  _you_ to hurt him, because of what he did to Diaval, even though I know it's wrong. I don't want to be the sort of queen who tortures people or, or executes them just because it's easy."

"Then I think you won't be. If you were that sort of person, the idea wouldn't frighten you. It would excite you, or amuse you, or satisfy you, but it wouldn't frighten you." She smiled faintly. "Speaking from experience, of course."

"Of course," said Aurora, smiling back.

"Everyone has that sort of darkness in them, beastie. You just can't let it consume you as it did me. It's alright to be angry. You should be angry. Just don't let it twist you into someone you wouldn't like." They'd reached the dungeon at last, and Aurora took a shaky breath.

"Alright," she said. "I'll leave you to it, then."

"Indeed," said Maleficent. "And what of your plan, my queen?" The last two words were not a mockery, merely a reminder.

"You'll see," said Aurora, with more bravery than she felt. She nodded to the guard at the door, who unlocked the cell to let Maleficent in before going back up the winding staircase. Maleficent entered, a ball of green light in her hand casting its glow on the man, chained to the wall and unkempt after a night spent in damp and chains.

" _You_ are to question me?" the man scoffed, despite the naked fear in his eyes. "The princess' pet faerie?"

Maleficent raised a green-glowing hand. "Beware who you call 'pet,' mortal. I have a pet of my own, and a rat would be a fine snack for him." Truthfully, she had no intention of feeding him to Diaval, if only because the man, skinny and faintly oily, would hardly be suitable food. Not that  _he_ needed to know that. 

The man blanched. "You wouldn't."

"Would you like to test me?" she said, spinning the green around her hands idly. "I'm sure no one would care if you disappeared. You'd just be one more dead rat in these dungeons. Or perhaps an insect, though that way, your death would be far quicker and more merciful than you deserve."

He broke. "Please, I was just doing as I was bid. He promised me gold!"

Maleficent leaned close enough to smell his fear-sweat. "Who did?"

* * *

Aurora stood with her back to her council. It was very rude, she knew, but it prevented them from seeing the uncertainty on her face. And if they thought that she was hiding some kind of murderous look, well, it might be more helpful for them to think that than to see her actual expression. They might not take her seriously if they knew how terrified she was.

"As we speak," she said, "Queen Maleficent is questioning the man who tried to murder Duke Diaval last night. I thought it her right to do so, as she is the duke's liege lord and he was the one injured."

"Your majesty-"

"Please let me finish," said Aurora, quietly, without turning around. There was the sound of a chair scraping against the floor as whoever it was who had spoken - she suspected Count Vaunting - sat down again.

"As I was saying," she continued, "we have yet to discover who it was who employed this assassin. I expect her to report back to me with the man's confession soon. Perhaps even within the hour." She turned to face them. She could do this. "If there is any man here who has any knowledge about last night, he should speak now before Maleficent gets here. I might be more merciful with a man who confesses openly." She raised an eyebrow, just as she had seen Maleficent do when she was very cross with a particular pixie. "Well?"

Silence. The men looked at each other, each one daring the other to speak first.

"Your majesty," said Count Vaunting, careful and halting. "Surely you can't believe that we had any knowledge of this plot."

"I don't know what else I can believe," said Aurora. She was trembling, but there were no tears. She couldn't falter now. "How can I be sure of my council's loyalties when the guards that they provide for the castle's defenses couldn't stop one man carrying a magical poison? This man hurt one of my guests, but he could just as easily have stabbed me, or poured the whole of his poison into a serving dish and murdered me and everyone in attendance. The only other possibility besides _high treason_ , my lords," she said, her voice shaking, "is negligence and incompetence. Which is it?"

"Your majesty," said Baron McAvoy, "let me be first in expressing my deepest apologies for having failed to provide suitable men to protect you." The other men murmured their agreement. "But I swear to you, on my life, I had no foreknowledge of this man."

"Nor I," said Count Vaunting. A similar chorus rose from the remaining nobles.

"And your majesty," said Duke Yoxhall, "if it would please you, I will see to it that all of the men of my guard are punished swiftly, as they deserve."

Aurora felt a tiny thrill, a bit like seeing a very good move in a game of draughts with her aunts. "That won't be necessary. What _would_ please me, your grace, would be to get married to the people I choose, as quickly as possible, without impediment, so that I can actually begin to rule my kingdom instead of entertaining endless suitors I have no interest in."

Duke Yoxhall went scarlet but said nothing.

"It will be done as your command, majesty," said Lord Wimsey, and Aurora smiled at him gratefully.

"Thank you, my lord," she said. "Then could you please begin arrangements now?"

* * *

"It was  _at_ _random?_ "

"Please be a bit louder, Phillip," said Diaval from his bed. "I could hear you from here, but I don't think they heard you in Ulstead."

"It wasn't exactly at random," said Aurora, stirring honey into her tea. "His orders were to find out who the most favored man was, of either moiety, and kill him, so that," she wrinkled her nose with a look of disgust, "I could be comforted and promised protection. Then presumably I would be overcome with love and choose someone _other_ than one of you."

"That's a ridiculous plan," said Diaval. "What if there had been no favorite? Or if he'd been wrong, and the true 'favorite' had been someone else?"

"Brilliantly observed, my pet, but no one said that his employer was  _intelligent_ ," said Maleficent, sipping her tea murderously. She'd been cheated of _really_ having fun with the man by his easy and full confession, and she was still somewhat bitter about it.

"You said 'his employer,'" said Phillip. "Who was it?"

"According to him, King Rutger of Dragomir. He was worried his sons might not marry, not after looking for five years without even a hope of marriage," said Aurora. "We've no idea if Dunstan or Tristan even knew."

"No use accusing them without proof," said Phillip. "We can just not invite them to _our wedding_ -" he grinned at Aurora "-and their father can explain why if they don't know already."

"We can invite the others, though, right?" called Diaval. "Duke Aiden's nice to talk to."

"So's Magda," said Aurora. Maleficent made an incredulous noise. "Well, she's nice to listen to, at least. And we can invite all the Fair People, too!"

"Very well," said Maleficent. "Let it not be said that you're to be a puppet queen, if anyone dares to try after your maneuvering of the council. You may invite whoever you like, though don't expect me to-"

Aurora's kiss on her cheek made her pause.

* * *

The marriage was, of course, an ostentatious affair, requiring weeks of preparation and even more planning than the suitor's ball had needed. It had taken two weeks alone to make what Maleficent considered a uselessly ornate dress, though she'd at least had a say in the color: dark brown, threaded with green and silver embroidery to suit her moiety. Those same two weeks were harried by endless council meetings about the treaty to unite Dauenshire with Ulstead and the Moors, editing clauses and concessions until even Phillip declared himself sick of politics.

The ceremony itself was much longer than a faerie handfasting and far more boring. Aurora entered the chapel first from the east, in her dress of pale blue embroidered with gold. Then Diaval entered from the west, looking uncomfortable in his doublet, but no longer weak or pained. Maleficent entered next from the north, then Phillip from the south. The high priest spoke at length about the nature of marriage and the balance of moiety. There were recitations in unison and incense and a great deal of kneeling.

At last, however, they exchanged rings: gold rings for Aurora and Diaval to wear, silver for Maleficent and Phillip.

“Like these rings,” said the High Priest, “your marriage must be a circle, as unbroken and unfaltering as the rising and the setting of the sun.”

“In light,” said Aurora, grasping Maleficent’s left hand with her right.

“And in darkness,” Maleficent answered, holding Diaval’s hand.

Diaval took Phillip’s hand. “From the beginning-”

“-to the end,” said Phillip, completing the circle.

“The ring has been forged,” intoned the high priest. “Let neither flame, nor iron, nor flood, nor frost, seek to sunder it.”

Maleficent swept Aurora up in a crushing kiss, feeling the girl’s giggle against her lips. The other two were more hesitant, carefully fitting their mouths together before pulling away. Aurora, still exhilarated from kissing Maleficent, launched herself enthusiastically at Phillip as Diaval kissed his Evening wife with equal passion.

The assembly cheered.

At the wedding feast, the Redmoor siblings approached the high table, almost too excited to bow first. "We wanted you to be the first to know," said Adrianna. "Weddings beget more weddings, it seems!" She and her brother wore matching silver threads around their ring fingers.

"Duke Aiden?" asked Diaval with a knowing smile.

Michael nodded. "He has a Morning cousin. We're hoping to get married at the next equinox."

"Please come, if you can," said Adrianna. "I'm sure you'll all be busy here, but-"

"We'd be honored," said Aurora graciously.

"Told you," Diaval whispered in Maleficent's ear.

"Clever bird," she whispered back, too low for anyone else to hear.

* * *

The royal apartments had four separate suites of rooms, one for each the four cardinal directions. Each had doors to its two neighbors, and at the center of the square was another room, with a bed large enough for four people. Tradition dictated that each marriage be consummated separately (Diaval, who did not see the point of the marriage ceremony, let alone the many rituals before and after, thought this particular one was especially useless), and so Maleficent and Diaval retired to their own rooms while Phillip joined Aurora in the marriage bed.

"Why did we have to go first?" he said, snickering, but there was a distinct discomfort behind his laughter.

"Because letting Maleficent and Diaval go first would be too easy," said Aurora.

They looked at each other across the bed before Phillip said, "Um, so, clothes?"

"Right."

Phillip already had his doublet and shirt off and was reaching to take off his hose when he realized Aurora was still clothed. He smiled. "Having trouble?"

"It buttons in the back!" she said. "All my old dresses, they tied in the front, or I could just slip them over my head, but these are so tight-"

"Let me try?" Aurora turned her back so that Phillip could see the long row of buttons that held the dress together. "Oh, dear, that _is_ a lot. Let me just-" He unbuttoned several of them, letting her pull the bodice and sleeves down to free her arms, before realizing another problem. "Do you need me to undo your stays, too?"

She nodded. "You're good at this."

"Good at what?" he said, working the knot of her stays. It stayed firmly fastened.

"Good at- my maids make me feel so _silly_ ," she said, like she was confessing a terrible secret. "Half the time they act like I'm too slow to brush my own hair or bathe myself, and then the other half I swear they giggle to each other because I've never had buttons on my own clothes before. You never sound like you're laughing at me." She twisted to look over her shoulder at his progress.

"There's nothing to laugh at if I know less about clothing than you- this is the _worst_ knot I have _ever_ seen," said Phillip, fiddling with the laces. "Were they hoping to protect your virtue?"

"Mistress Taylor said that it's supposed to romantic. Being slow and reverent and all that."

"Well, it is indeed very slow, so in that regard I think she- ha!" The laces loosened and fell away, and Aurora slipped out of her dress and underclothes and let them fall on the floor before turning back to face him.

"Um," said Phillip.

"What?" asked Aurora.

"You're... wow. I... you're beautiful."

"You've told me that before."

"Well, you haven't changed much since then, have you?"

Aurora blushed. "Thank you."

"May I kiss you?"

"Of course."

Phillip's kisses were sweet and hesitant, and she moved into his lap just to be closer to him, and they stayed like that for a few long moments, mapping each other's mouths with their tongues, before Phillip broke the kiss.

"Do you, er, know what you're supposed to do?"

"My neighbors had horses and cows, you ninny, I'm not _that_ ignorant of what's supposed to fit where," said Aurora. "And my handmaids told me a few things besides, not that they made that much sense."

"Oh, did they?" said Phillip.

She nodded. "Did yours?"

Phillip looked uncomfortable. "No, my father did. It was a very awkward conversation, too. And I think-" he said, tipping her backwards so quickly that she giggled, "-that we should just do what feels right to us."

"And what do you think feels right?" said Aurora, smiling up at him.

"Well, I was thinking I'd start with something like this," said Phillip, latching onto her breast and sucking gently.

"Oh," said Aurora. "Keep doing that."

He switched to the other breast, then back again, encouraged by her hand on his head pushing him nearer to her. He kissed lower. "And then maybe," he said, "I could do this-"

His mouth on her was slow and careful, and gone far too soon, leaving her wanting more. "Um, let me just..." he said, going up on his knees and pulling her hips up. "Tell me if it hurts and I'll stop," he said, positioning himself before sliding in. Aurora hissed and he stopped. "Are you alright?"

"Um," said Aurora. "It doesn't hurt, it's just- tight? Just wait a minute." They breathed together, as Aurora adjusted to the fullness of him. She let out a long breath. "I think... I think you can move now," she said, and Phillip carefully drew his hips back to thrust. Their rhythm was slow and syncopated, but it felt like it was building towards something very important. Aurora's eyes fluttered shut, blocking out everything but Phillip's mouth on hers, his hand on her breast, and something like very warm, bright light-

Aurora gasped as pleasure rushed through her. Phillip followed moments later, slumping over her before pulling out to lie beside her.

* * *

When Maleficent arrived to consummate her Day marriage, Phillip had already gone back to his room and Aurora was alone, sprawled out on the bedsheets and giggling faintly.

"Did you have fun?" asked Maleficent. She moved towards the bed, a wisp of magic undoing her buttons and stays for her.

"Mmhmm," said Aurora. "Phillip is very nice."

"He ought to be better than 'very nice' if he means to stay your husband," said Maleficent.

"Oh, hush," said Aurora. "I can't think very well right now. Come down here." Maleficent shucked off her dress and chemise and came to sit beside Aurora, but made no move to touch her. "No, down _here_ ," said Aurora, reaching for Maleficent's hand and pulling her down to kiss her.

Maleficent's lips were softer than Phillip's, but stronger and more experienced. Aurora sucked Maleficent's lower lip, catching it ever so slightly with her teeth. Maleficent shivered and bit her back, harder, soothing the sting with her tongue.

Aurora's legs had fallen open of their own accord, and Maleficent moved downwards to lick between them, so delicately that Aurora almost arched off the bed, whimpering.

"I don't think I can... do it again?" she said, even as she writhed under Maleficent's touch.

Maleficent only chuckled, sucking somewhere between Aurora's legs that made her feel a lightning-bright burst of need. Aurora lost control once Maleficent added fingers with her tongue, until pleasure gathered from that point and seemed to shoot through her. Air left her lungs in a whoosh, and Aurora blinked dreamily upwards at no place in particular until she realized something important.

"You- you didn't... Wanna take care of you, too."

Maleficent laughed. "You're falling asleep on me, beastie, I don't expect you can even lift your hands right now. The only place you should be right now is in your own bed, taking care of yourself."

"Can't I just go to sleep here?" mumbled Aurora.

"Not unless you want to watch me and Diaval," said Maleficent drily. "Hush."

"Can we come back-" Aurora yawned "-and snuggle all together when everyone's done?"

"I don't see why not," said Maleficent. "But until then, you can go back to your room."

"Don't think I can walk."

"That's what magic is for, beastie," said Maleficent, and a cloud of gold buoyed Aurora up and out of the room.

* * *

When Diaval entered the room to be with his Evening wife, they were on each other before the door had even closed behind him. Maleficent pressed him into the wall, not even waiting to take the ten steps or so that would take them to the bed.

"Hello," said Diaval breathlessly.

"Quiet," said Maleficent. She kissed him hard, her fingers weaving themselves with his hair.

"I am taking off-" said Diaval between kisses "-these awful, uncomfortable clothes-"

"Let me." Her deft fingers worked the buttons of his doublet, undid the ties of his hose and braies, leaving all his clothing in a heap on the floor.

"Do you know," whispered Diaval, running his lips down her neck, "how long I've wanted to do this? To touch you, kiss you, _worship_ you-" He sank to his knees, still kissing downwards, before reaching the junction between her legs. The first hungry movements of his tongue were exactly what she needed. Maleficent grabbed fistfuls of his hair, pressing him closer, rocking against his mouth as his hands moved up to grasp her hips. She shuddered, her legs threatening to give way beneath her.

"Enough of that," she said, not letting go of his hair. "On the bed. Now."

Once there, she held herself over him, pinning him to the bed. Her wings practically formed a canopy behind her, and feathers brushed over the both of them. Her tongue traced his scars, her teeth sank into his shoulder, her lips sucked bruises into his neck. She lowered herself onto him and he hissed through his teeth.

"May I-"

"Yes, _please_ -"

He moved. His hands lifted up to cup her breasts, his fingers skimming and twisting her nipples. She rode him hard, meeting him thrust for thrust, one hand busy between her legs as the other ran over his chest.

Her final cry of pleasure was muffled by Diaval's mouth on hers, and she collapsed on top of him, breathing hard. He moved again - once, twice - before he, too, went boneless under her.

"I wouldn't have thought," said Maleficent, panting, "that you knew so much about mating."

"I was curious," he said. "So I watched humans to see how they did it."

"And how does it compare to how ravens mate?" she asked. He could feel the curve of her lips against his cheek.

"The human way is more fun."

Her laughter shook the bed.

* * *

Phillip hadn't bothered getting dressed after his time with Aurora, which made things a bit easier once he reentered the wedding chamber. It also made things more awkward.

"Er, hello," he said. He padded softly over the thick carpets to the bed and sat down.

"Hello," said Diaval.

Phillip laughed nervously. "I'm really starting to wish I'd broken that other tradition."

"What other- oh, about not mating before you're married?"

Phillip nodded. "Maybe it would have made this whole thing less awkward."

"If you don't want to," said Diaval, "no one need know. We can wait."

"No, I do want to," said Phillip, "and not just because it's expected."

"It's my dashing good looks, isn't it?" said Diaval, practically preening, and Phillip laughed.

"That, too," he said, moving to face him, and he reached up to thread his fingers in Diaval's hair. He stopped as his hands ran over something that didn't feel like hair. "Feathers?"

"Raven, remember?"

"Oh, right," said Phillip, and he moved in to kiss him. Neither of them were hard yet, and their kisses were slow and tentative, more set on exploration than excitement. Phillip ran his lips over the wine-colored bruises on Diaval's neck.

"Maleficent?"

"Who else- ow." Phillip left a mark of his own.

"Not good?" asked Phillip.

"Very good, just warn me next time- oh!"

Diaval's hardening cock brushed Phillip's, and Diaval reached a hand between them, moving against him even as he fell onto his back. Phillip thrust against him, eliciting a noise from Diaval, and they moved until Diaval's hair was slick with sweat and Phillip was moments away from losing control completely.

"There's, er, oil on the bedside table," said Phillip vaguely, "if you want to-"

"If you even _think_ about getting up now," said Diaval, "I will- oh, gods-"

Phillip moved his hips faster, Diaval's hand loosely wrapped around both of them, until his world contracted to where they touched and hot fluid pooled on Diaval's stomach. He didn't stop moving, though his center of gravity seemed to shift and everything was simply _more_ , until Diaval joined him over the edge.

They lay together, breathing hard, until Diaval said, "I shouldn't fall asleep... need to..." He gestured vaguely at the mess spattered on his stomach.

"Let me," said Phillip, kissing Diaval's forehead on his way out of bed.

When Maleficent and Aurora knocked on the door to enter, Diaval and Phillip were already on the edge of sleep, without any distance between them.

* * *

Aurora stared into space, her face lifted to the bed's canopy. "What sorts of rulers shall we be?" she asked aloud.

"What do you mean?" said Phillip. He lay to her left, arm wrapped around her waist.

"When we're dead and people write stories about us. What do you think they'll say?"

Maleficent lay also in the middle of the bed, between Aurora and Diaval. "I think it's a bit early to discuss our legacy if we haven't yet _ruled_ , beastie."

Diaval humored her. "Well, hopefully they'll say we ruled long and justly, and our people were happy and prosperous."

"They'll talk about how beautiful our queens were," added Phillip, "and how absolutely terrifying one of them was." A spark of gold magic floated up from Maleficent's fingers to flick the end of his nose. "Ow!"

"That we balanced each other," said Maleficent. "Light with dark, as it should be."

"And we lived happily all the days of our lives," said Aurora. "That's what I want them to say."

"We'll see," said Maleficent. "We'll try."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends the LONGEST FIC I HAVE EVER WRITTEN. 
> 
> Couple things:
> 
>   * The novelization claims that the game that the three pixies are playing in the scene with the indoor rain is checkers (known in the UK as draughts), but the board looks more like a square (rather than triangle) setup for [Alquerque](en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alquerque), a forerunner of checkers. THINGS I FIND OUT WHILE RESEARCHING THIS SHIT.
>   * I spent so much time working out rituals around this thing. I have a problem and that problem is _excessive worldbuilding._
>   * I'd like to formally thank [KillerLaurel](http://archiveofourown.org/users/KillerLaurel/pseuds/KillerLaurel) for snapping me out of my "I CAN'T WRITE PORN, MY PORN IS CRAAAAAAP" funk.
>   * The idea for a corset with a fancy knot to slow a man down is borrowed from [A Bed of Thorns](http://archiveofourown.org/works/377718/) by Nym. Excellent reading if anyone's into Once Upon A Time.
>   * Buttons only started being used for holding clothing together around the 11th century, and they were only for the very rich, who were among the first to have actually tailored clothing rather than big rectangles held together with a sash or laces. THINGS I FIND OUT WHILE RESEARCHING THIS SHIT.
> 


**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Sedoretus in Westeros](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3945334) by [sunkelles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunkelles/pseuds/sunkelles)




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